Kefas Unveils Free Healthcare After Hospitals Collapse

Kefas Unveils Free Healthcare After Hospitals Collapse

 

 

 

Governor Agbu Kefas of Taraba State has revealed that when he assumed office in 2023, several hospitals in the state were so poorly stocked that patients had to buy medications from nurses’ private supplies.

 

Speaking on Thursday during a town hall meeting with key stakeholders from the Northern Zone, held at the Gymnastics Hall of the Jolly Nyame Stadium in Jalingo, the governor said the situation was a reflection of the collapsed healthcare system he inherited.

 

“The last time I visited the Specialist Hospital, I confirmed that patients had to buy medicine from nurses’ bags. We have changed that. Essential drugs are now stocked and provided free of charge,” Kefas said.

 

The governor also disclosed that Taraba State had been operating without a formal developmental master plan since its creation in 1991, describing it as a major setback to coordinated growth.

 

“The only document I found was an incomplete city plan initiated by the late Governor Danbaba Suntai. I engaged consultants to develop a comprehensive state-wide master plan, which took us nine months,” he added.

 

Reflecting on the challenges he inherited, Kefas said the state was deeply divided along religious and ethnic lines, making unity a priority for his administration.

 

“When I came in, we were all divided. Trust was difficult. But with prayers and commitment, we are making progress toward unity,” he said, praising traditional rulers, youth and women’s groups, and security agencies for supporting peace and stability in Taraba.